Height of railing

[Phillip]

When did the building standards start having guardrails on decks and porches being 36 inches tall?

Also when did handrails standards start being 34" to 38" off the nose of the step?

[hausdok]

Hi Phillip,

I can't tell you exactly. I know that those specs have changed at least once in the 14+ years that I've been at this gig but I think the commercial height requirement has always been for the past 14 years 36-inches on stairs and 42-inches at perimeter of decks and balconies.

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

[Jim Katen]

When did the building standards start having guardrails on decks and porches being 36 inches tall?

I don't know. The 36" guardrail was in the '79 CABO.

Also when did handrails standards start being 34" to 38" off the nose of the step?

Before the '92 edition, stairway handrails were supposed to be 30" - 34" above the nosings.

In '92, it changed to 30" - 38" .

In '98, it changed again to 34" - 38", where it remains today.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Phillip]

Thank you for the info.

I have been seeing a lot of home built in the 80's and early 90's with short railings. Some with no railings.

I alway tell my clients that the building standard have change over the years.

I don't have the older code books so I was trying to find out when they changed.